From Anti-Trump to Pro-Something (Live from Crooked Con)

Episode of Pod Save America · November 10, 2026 · 1 h 43 min

Live from Crooked Con, Jon Favreau's panel debates what Democrats stand for after the 2026 midterm landslide, and Jon Lovett interviews Sen. Elissa Slotkin on leadership.

Summary

Recorded live at Crooked Con days after the 2026 midterm elections, the episode opened with Jon Favreau moderating a panel of Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Sarah McBride, Rep.-elect Melat Kiros and former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu on how Democrats could turn an anti-Trump vote into durable support. Van Hollen named ending the war with Iran as the top priority, McBride emphasized reversing Medicaid cuts and restoring ACA tax credits, Kiros called for forcing Trump to veto Medicare for All and a data center moratorium, and Landrieu urged rolling back the war, tariffs and Medicaid cuts while warning that voters remain fickle and distrustful of Democrats.

The panel debated Medicare for All, with Kiros arguing for single-payer as a way to "MAGA-proof" the future, McBride proposing a New Deal-style agenda of paid leave, child care, trades workforce investment and AI regulation, and Landrieu cautioning against ideological purity. On leadership, Van Hollen said he wanted commitments before backing Chuck Schumer, McBride defended Hakeem Jeffries for speaker, and Kiros said her vote was undecided pending a bold agenda. Panelists discussed a possible government shutdown over Iran war funding and ICE, criticized Stephen Miller's appointment as chief of staff, and Van Hollen said he would decide on a 2028 presidential run in early January.

In the second segment, Jon Lovett interviewed Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who described the election as a demand for economic security, new leadership and bold ideas. She outlined a three-part agenda of legislation, accountability investigations and Trump-proofing government, criticized JD Vance for distancing himself from the Iran war, said she would not vote for Schumer without a 100-day plan, and declined to rule out running for majority leader herself. She also discussed the divisive Michigan Senate campaign, her partnership with Abdul El-Sayed, her shift on military aid to Israel, antisemitism, and an expected large 2028 Democratic primary.

Chapters

1:07
Introduction at Crooked Con
Jon Favreau introduces the episode's two Crooked Con conversations and the panel of Van Hollen, McBride, Kiros and Landrieu.
2:18
What new Democratic voters can expect
Panelists name priorities including ending the Iran war, reversing Medicaid cuts, repealing tariffs and forcing vetoes on bold policies.
9:57
Lessons from election night
Panelists discuss surprising results in South Carolina, Michigan and Colorado and argue populist, authentic messaging won.
22:18
Medicare for All and the economic agenda
The panel debates voting on Medicare for All, a public option, and McBride's New Deal-inspired agenda.
34:01
Schumer, Jeffries and congressional leadership
Van Hollen sets conditions for backing Schumer, McBride defends Jeffries, and Kiros says her vote depends on a bold agenda.
45:57
Landrieu on party unity and fluid voters
Landrieu highlights consensus among Democrats and recounts a New Hampshire Trump voter who switched over Medicaid cuts.
51:50
Shutdown threats, ICE and Stephen Miller
Panelists discuss withholding funding for the Iran war and reining in ICE, and react to Miller's appointment as chief of staff.
1:03:29
Thinking about 2028
Van Hollen and Landrieu discuss potential presidential runs and the direction of the country.
1:12:44
Slotkin on the election and Democratic priorities
Lovett interviews Slotkin on what the election signaled, oversight, Hegseth, and ending the Iran war.
1:23:56
Schumer and the majority leader race
Slotkin says she wants new leadership, demands a 100-day plan from Schumer, and does not rule out running herself.
1:29:57
Michigan, Israel and antisemitism
Slotkin discusses the divisive Michigan campaign, working with El-Sayed, her votes on Israel aid, and community fears.
1:40:25
The 2028 primary
Slotkin anticipates a large, messy 2028 Democratic primary and urges candidates to offer concrete ideas.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Linked moment · 1:07Skip to 1:07 using a listen link in the info box.
Chris Van Hollen
Van Hollen argued that ending the Iran war is the top deliverable, both to avoid foreign entanglement and to lower gas and grocery prices.
“I would say the number one thing we could do right now is end the illegal and senseless war in Iran”
Listen from 3:34 · United States war with Iran
Sarah McBride
McBride said reversing Medicaid cuts and restoring ACA tax credits must top the Democratic agenda in January.
“at the top of our priority list come January has to be reversing the cuts to Medicaid and the ACA tax credits”
Listen from 4:43 · Medicaid
Melat Kiros
Kiros argued Democrats should pass bold legislation regardless of veto threats, forcing Trump to veto Medicare for All and a data center moratorium.
“I would like to force Donald Trump to veto Medicare for all. I would like to force him to veto a data center moratorium”
Listen from 7:16 · Medicare for All
Mitch Landrieu
Landrieu cautioned that the Democratic wins were an anti-Trump vote and the party must deliver to keep those voters.
“we're here today because it was an anti-Trump vote. And if you want them to vote for us next time, we have to secure the gains that we have”
Listen from 7:37 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Melat Kiros
Kiros said the results were not a mandate for any ideological faction but a victory for populist politics.
“I think populist politics won across the board”
Listen from 15:29 · Populism
Chris Van Hollen
Van Hollen proposed paying for reversing Medicaid cuts by clawing back funding allocated to ICE.
“we should pay for those by clawing back the about $200 billion they socked away for ICE”
Listen from 23:10 · Medicaid
Sarah McBride
McBride proposed a New Deal-style agenda whose social programs could pass through reconciliation, including universal paid leave and child care.
“today, those new social programs that we can conceivably adopt through reconciliation, achievable with broad support among the Democratic caucus, is universal paid leave, universal child care”
Listen from 25:50
Mitch Landrieu
Landrieu warned Democrats against insisting on ideological purity in pursuing universal health care.
“I think that we make the mistake sometime on our side of insisting on ideological purity on all of these issues”
Listen from 29:14 · Medicare for All
Melat Kiros Prediction · due Jan 2029
Kiros predicted Democrats will win the White House in 2028 and hold a trifecta in 2029.
“And if we take back the House, which we will, the White House in 28, right? We'll have a trifecta in 29, without question”
Listen from 30:48 · 2028 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Chris Van Hollen
Van Hollen called for closing what he termed the Elon Musk loophole linking campaign spending and federal contracts.
“We need to get rid of what I call the Elon Musk loophole, where he spends $450 million in this election cycle and gets billions of dollars in federal contracts”
Listen from 34:28 · Political corruption in the United States
Sarah McBride
McBride backed Hakeem Jeffries for speaker, saying she is convinced he supports a bold economic agenda.
“I am convinced that he is in favor of a bold transformational economic agenda for our country”
Listen from 39:25 · Democratic congressional leadership elections
Melat Kiros
Kiros said her vote for Jeffries as speaker remained undecided until she sees a bold agenda.
“My vote is something that's still up in the air right now because I need to see that agenda”
Listen from 43:05 · Democratic congressional leadership elections
Chris Van Hollen
Van Hollen said Democrats should refuse to vote for any appropriations containing Iran war funding when the continuing resolution expires December 11.
“Democrats should not vote for any appropriation bills that has any money in it for the illegal war in Iran, period”
Listen from 53:56 · Government shutdowns in the United States
Sarah McBride
McBride argued Trump has no ideological core, creating openings to extract concessions in his lame-duck years.
“this president has no ideological core. The only commitment this man has is to self-enrichment and seeing his name in lights”
Listen from 55:37
Melat Kiros
Kiros supported a government shutdown to curb ICE and called for ultimately abolishing the agency.
“I think ultimately we have to be working towards abolishing this agency”
Listen from 58:35 · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Mitch Landrieu
Landrieu recounted meeting two Texas construction workers who had voted for Trump three times but turned against him over immigration raids.
“who said that they had voted for Donald Trump three times and they weren't going to vote for him again”
Listen from 1:00:24 · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Chris Van Hollen Prediction · due Jan 2027
Van Hollen said he is considering a 2028 presidential run and will decide in early January.
“that's why I'm kicking the tires, and I will make a decision sometime in early January”
Listen from 1:06:49 · 2028 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin said the election showed this was the perfect time to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“This is why it would be a perfect time to fire Pete Hegseth”
Listen from 1:20:40 · United States war with Iran
Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin warned Democrats against reading the results as renewed public affection for the party.
“not over interpret the results that somehow people love Democrats again”
Listen from 1:21:45 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin criticized JD Vance for distancing himself from the Iran war, saying he must take responsibility for it.
“You're the vice president of the United States and you made this decision to go to war, own it, okay?”
Listen from 1:22:23 · United States war with Iran
Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin said she would not vote for Schumer as majority leader unless he presents a plan for his first 100 days.
“if he wants to be a majority leader, what is your plan for the first 100 days?”
Listen from 1:25:07 · Democratic congressional leadership elections
Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin declined to rule out running for Senate majority leader herself.
“people who have different views on different issues can still work together for the betterment of the country. That is what I'm here for. I'm not ruling anything out”
Listen from 1:29:47 · Democratic congressional leadership elections
Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin said she changed her votes on military aid to Israel because of what she saw as the weaponizing of humanitarian aid.
“what was different last April or two Aprils ago maybe, was the literally weaponizing of humanitarian aid”
Listen from 1:34:07 · Gaza war

People

In the conversation

Jon FavreauCo-host of Pod Save America and former speechwriter for President Barack Obama
Jon LovettCo-host of Pod Save America; diarization split of the same speaker during the economics segment
Chris Van HollenDemocratic U.S. senator from Maryland
Sarah McBrideU.S. Representative from Delaware and the first openly transgender member of Congress
Melat KirosDemocratic U.S. representative-elect from Colorado
Mitch LandrieuFormer mayor of New Orleans and former Louisiana lieutenant governor
Elissa SlotkinDemocratic U.S. senator from Michigan reported to have called Bankhead

Discussed

Donald TrumpPresident of the United States whose conduct of the Iran war is the episode's main subject
Stephen MillerWhite House deputy chief of staff and architect of the administration's immigration agenda
JD VanceVice President of the United States
Chuck SchumerSenate Democratic leader
Hakeem JeffriesHouse Democratic leader Haywood met about NIL
Abdul El-SayedDemocratic Senate nominee in Michigan
Tammy DuckworthDemocratic U.S. senator from Illinois whose priority list Landrieu read
Benjamin NetanyahuPrime Minister of Israel
Pete HegsethU.S. Secretary of Defense overseeing the Iran campaign
Kilmar Abrego GarciaMaryland man deported to El Salvador whose case Van Hollen championed
Lauren BoebertRepublican congresswoman who opposed Trump's war supplemental
Chuck GrassleyRepublican senator from Iowa
Annie AndrewsCharleston pediatrician and Democratic Senate candidate in South Carolina

Topics

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Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con)
Pod Save America · Nov 11, 2026 · 1 h 37 min
Live from Crooked Con, Jon Lovett and Democratic strategists dissect the 2026 midterm wins, then Alex Wagner interviews Senator Chris Van Hollen on Senate leadership and accountability.
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The Megyn Kelly Show · Nov 10, 2026 · 1 h 42 min
Megyn Kelly and Matt Taibbi discuss the Hegseth impeachment push, Trump's amnesty talk, Scott Galloway's Musk remarks, attacks on Charlie Kirk, Dianna Russini, and Prince Harry.
Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain
Pivot · Nov 10, 2026 · 1 h 16 min
Live in Denver, Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway interview Mayor Mike Johnston, then discuss Jensen Huang's spy scandal, Starlink in Ukraine, scientific brain drain, Todd Blanche and JD Vance's 2028 prospects.
The Path to a Democratic Supermajority
The Ezra Klein Show · Nov 10, 2026 · 55 min
Ezra Klein and Adam Jentleson discuss how Democrats can turn their 2026 midterm wave into a durable supermajority through big-tent politics, heterodoxy and filibuster reform.
Stephen Miller’s Promotion, Big Tech’s Reality Check, and Guest Harvey Levin
Pivot · Nov 8, 2026 · 1 h 10 min
Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, live in Los Angeles, interview TMZ founder Harvey Levin and discuss Stephen Miller's promotion, post-midterm tech stocks, data centers, and Elon Musk.

From the publisher

Last week’s midterm landslide was powered in part by Trump voters pulling the lever for Democrats instead. But that doesn’t mean their view of the Democratic Party has improved — or that they won’t swing back in 2028. Live from Crooked Con, Jon hosts Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Sarah McBride, Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, and former mayor Mitch Landrieu to talk about what Democrats actually stand for, where the party is going, and what needs to change before the next presidential election. Then, Lovett sits down with Sen. Elissa Slotkin to talk about the grueling Senate campaign in Michigan, why she’s so hesitant to support Sen. Chuck Schumer for majority leader, and whether she might run for the job herself. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on November 11, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Politics·News Commentary·Government